my secret heart, but thou art an outlander and therefore
I speak without shame, knowing all I have to offer and how hard
it had been thee to ask. See, a crown lies at thy feet, my lord
Incubu, and with that fortune a woman whom some have wished to
woo. Now mayst thou answer, oh my chosen, and soft shall thy
words fall upon mine ears."

'"Oh Sorais," I said, "I pray thee speak not thus" -- you see
I had not time to pick and choose my words -- "for this thing
cannot be. I am betrothed to thy sister Nyleptha, oh Sorais,
and I love her and her alone."

'Next moment it struck me that I had said an awful thing, and
I looked up to see the results. When I spoke, Sorais' face was
hidden in her hands, and as my words reached her she slowly raised
it, and I shrank back dismayed. It was ashy white, and her eyes
were flaming. She rose to her feet and seemed to be choking,
but the awful thing was that she was so quiet about it all.
Once she looked at a side table, on which lay a dagger, and from
it to me, as though she thought of killing me; but she did not
take it up. At last she spoke one word, and one only --

'"_Go!_"

'And I went, and glad enough I was to get out of it, and here
I am. Give me another cup of wine, there's a good fellow,
and tell me, what is to be done?'

I shook my head, for the affair was indeed serious. As one of the
poets says,

'Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned',

more especially if the woman is a queen and a Sorais, and indeed
I feared the very worst, including imminent danger to ourselves.

'Nyleptha had better be told of this at once,' I said, 'and perhaps
I had better tell her; she might receive your account with suspicion.'

'Who is captain of her guard tonight?' I went on.

'Good.'

'Very well then, there will be no chance of her being got at.
Don't look surprised. I don't think that her sister would stick
at that. I suppose one must tell Good of what has happened.'

'Oh, I don't know,' said Sir Henry. 'It would hurt his feelings,
poor fellow! You see, he takes a lively personal interest in Sorais.'

'That's true; and after all, perhaps there is no need to tell him.
He will find out the truth soon enough. Now, you mark my words,
Sorais will throw in her lot with Nasta, who is sulking up in
the North there, and there will be such a war as has not been
known in Zu-Vendis for centuries. Look there!' and I pointed
to two Court messengers, who were speeding away fr